Methods and apparatus for improving NFC connection through device positioning

• US 8,929,810 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Frankland, Stephen, Hillan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Soltanzadeh, Maryam
• Application Number:
  US13/453,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20130281014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Aspects disclosed herein relate to improving near field communication (NFC) device positioning for performing a NFC action based on one or more sensory cues. In one example, a NFC device may be equipped to detect that a device is attempting to perform a NFC action to communicate with a remote NFC device and may provide a first sensory cue to indicate a first location on a first surface of the device corresponding to an antenna location on a second surface of the device in response to the determination that the device is attempting to perform the NFC action. The NFC device may be further operable to determine a type of NFC action the device is attempting to perform and provide a second sensory cue indicating a second location on the first surface of the device based on one or more factors associated with the determined type of NFC action.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

detecting that a device is attempting to perform a near field communication (NFC) action to communicate with a remote NFC device;

providing a first sensory cue to indicate a first location on a first surface of the device corresponding to an antenna location on a second surface of the device in response to the determination that the device is attempting to perform the NFC action;

determining a type of NFC action the device is attempting to perform; and

providing a second sensory cue indicating a second location on the first surface of the device based on one or more factors associated with the determined type of NFC action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more factors includes comparative sizes of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna associated with the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more factors includes a coupling value indicating a strength of magnetic coupling of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a graphical representation on a user interface of the device on the first surface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical representation comprises at least one of a target shape, text indicating a location, and text indicating one or more directions for a user to follow.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable vibration indication, wherein the variable vibration indication changes at least one of a frequency and an intensity of the device vibration based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable auditory indication, wherein the variable auditory indication changes at least one of a frequency, a voice message, and a volume of the device auditory indication based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting further comprises detecting at least one of:

activation of the device;

initiation of an application;

a change in orientation of the device; and

a user input.

9. A (non-transitory) computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

detecting that a device is attempting to perform a near field communication (NFC) action to communicate with a remote NFC device;

providing a first sensory cue to indicate a first location on a first surface of the device corresponding to an antenna location on a second surface of the device in response to the determination that the device is attempting to perform the NFC action;

determining a type of NFC action the device is attempting to perform; and

providing a second sensory cue indicating a second location on the first surface of the device based on one or more factors associated with the determined type of NFC action.

10. The (non-transitory) computer program product of claim 9, wherein the one or more factors includes comparative sizes of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna associated with the device.

11. The (non-transitory) computer program product of claim 9, wherein the one or more factors includes a coupling value indicating a strength of magnetic coupling of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna location.

12. The (non-transitory) computer program product of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a graphical representation on a user interface of the device on the first surface.

13. The (non-transitory) computer program product of claim 12, wherein the graphical representation comprises at least one of a target shape, text indicating a location, and text indicating one or more directions for a user to follow.

14. The (non-transitory) computer program product of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable vibration indication, wherein the variable vibration indication changes at least one of a frequency and an intensity of the device vibration based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the device.

15. The (non-transitory) computer program product of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable auditory indication, wherein the variable auditory indication changes at least one of a frequency, a voice message, and a volume of the device auditory indication based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the device.

16. The (non-transitory) computer program product of claim 9, wherein the code for detecting further comprises code for detecting at least one of:

activation of the device;

initiation of an application;

a change in orientation of the device; and

a user input.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting that a device is attempting to perform a near field communication (NFC) action to communicate with a remote NFC device;

means for providing a first sensory cue to indicate a first location on a first surface of the device corresponding to an antenna location on a second surface of the device in response to the determination that the device is attempting to perform the NFC action;

means for determining a type of NFC action the device is attempting to perform; and

means for providing a second sensory cue indicating a second location on the first surface of the device based on one or more factors associated with the determined type of NFC action.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more factors includes comparative sizes of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna associated with the device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more factors includes a coupling value indicating a strength of magnetic coupling of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna location.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a graphical representation on a user interface of the device on the first surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the graphical representation comprises at least one of a target shape, text indicating a location, and text indicating one or more directions for a user to follow.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable vibration indication, wherein the variable vibration indication changes at least one of a frequency and an intensity of the device vibration based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the device.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable auditory indication, wherein the variable auditory indication changes at least one of a frequency, a voice message, and a volume of the device auditory indication based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the device.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first surface is substantially parallel to the second surface and the first and second surfaces are on opposite sides of the device, and wherein the first surface further includes a user interface and wherein at least one of the first and second sensory cues further include one or more graphical representations displayed on the user interface.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second surface is not visually accessible to a user when the device is positioned to perform the NFC action.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for detecting further comprises means for detecting at least one of:

activation of the device;

initiation of an application;

a change in orientation of the device; and

a user input.

27. An apparatus for NFC communications, comprising:

a user interface on a first surface of the apparatus;

an antenna accessible from a second surface of the apparatus'"'"' a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory; and

a NFC action position optimization module coupled to at least one of the memory, the user interface or the processor and configured to;

detect that the apparatus is attempting to perform a near field communication (NFC) action to communicate with a remote NFC device;

provide a first sensory cue to indicate a first location on the first surface of the apparatus corresponding to the antenna location on the second surface of the apparatus in response to the determination that the apparatus is attempting to perform the NFC action;

determine a type of NFC action the apparatus is attempting to perform; and

provide a second sensory cue indicating a second location on the first surface of the apparatus based on one or more factors associated with the determined type of NFC action.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one or more factors includes comparative sizes of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna associated with the apparatus.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the one or more factors includes a coupling value indicating a strength of magnetic coupling of an antenna associated with the remote NFC device and the antenna location.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a graphical representation on the user interface of the apparatus on the first surface.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the graphical representation comprises at least one of a target shape, text indicating a location, and text indicating one or more directions for a user to follow.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable vibration indication, wherein the variable vibration indication changes at least one of a frequency and an intensity of the apparatus vibration based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the apparatus.

33. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first sensory cue and the second sensory cue comprises a variable auditory indication, wherein the variable auditory indication changes at least one of a frequency, a voice message, and a volume of the apparatus auditory indication based on a distance between the first or second location and a current positioning of the apparatus.

34. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the first surface is substantially parallel to the second surface and the first and second surfaces are on opposite sides of the apparatus, and wherein at least one of the first and second sensory cues further include one or more graphical representations displayed on the user interface.

35. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the second surface is not visually accessible to a user when the apparatus is positioned to perform the NFC action.

36. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the detecting further comprises detecting at least one of:

activation of the apparatus;

initiation of an application;

a change in orientation of the apparatus; and

a user input.